Equality and non-discrimination are core values and fundamental rights in the European Union (EU), enshrined in the founding Treaties and in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU ("the Charter"). In recent decades, legislative developments, case law and policy initiatives have improved many people's lives and helped build more equal, fair, and inclusive societies. Yet, discrimination is still a reality for many, including on the grounds of age. The European Commission has placed equality at the heart of its agenda, striving to build a Union of Equality where all people can live free from discrimination. It adopted several Union of Equality strategies in 2020 and 2021 to create the conditions for everyone to live and thrive regardless of sex, gender, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, or sexual orientation, also considering intersectional discrimination based on these grounds. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), ageism can have negative impact through the entire life cycle of a person. Ageism refers to the stereotypes (i.e. how we think), prejudice (i.e. how we feel) and discrimination (i.e. how we act) towards others or oneself based on age. Combating discrimination is a common task. The EU has an important role tackling ageism including in monitoring the implementation of relevant legislation in the field of equal treatment and non-discrimination, providing policy guidance, coordinating actions by the Member States, monitoring progress, providing support via EU funds, and promoting the exchange of good practices between Member States. Also, the private sector has a role to play in achieving this goal. For this reason, a dedicated meeting with Diversity Charters was organised on 28 February 2024.
